72 of the
651 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz ML350
are about the transmission —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
72
Complaints
11%
Share of all complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
My car was included in the balance right shaft recall as 2nd owner I was just made aware as a result my check engine light came on. It was also learned that the car was included in faulty “balance shaft”. I should be included because my car has same diagnosis as defective equipment
NHTSA complaint #11564459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
i encountered a major issue with the Mercedes ML350, while doing a 3 point turn in a busy suburban Toronto street.The electronic shift module left me stuck in Road way. Causing traffic back up and could not move vehicle.neither forward or reverse.tried pushing and different tactics to move vehicle off road. Had to call CAA-AAA. It was a caos situation,first tow truck could not load vehicle,all wheels were locked in drive and would not shift. Had to wait for special tow Have all four wheels lifted off onto dolly. Tow truck driver said it is a common problem.with MB,BMW and Audi.Vehicles towed to dealer sat at dealer. parts on back order and Not available for repair.Since was in Toronto away from Home. Had to source original equipment supplier to purchase part.Dealer and factory Mercedes could Not source part.back ordered.The dealer agreed to install the factory OEM part they could not source. My concern to all owners including myself in line traffic a basic traffic maneuver stuck in blocking traffic. Cannot moving vehicle jammed in gear that controlled by a shift module.no safe limp mode or emergency shift to neutral to move vehicle safely.
NHTSA complaint #11545931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PULLING OUT INTO LANE OF TRAFFIC ACCELERATING WHERE CAR ABRUPTLY STARTS TO RUN VERY VERY ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND CAN BECOME UNSAFE WITH NO POWER AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING. SIMILARLY WHILE DRIVING OVER 60MPH SAME SCENARIO CAUSING CEL TO COME ON AND CAR TO DISENGAGE CRUISE AND SLOW EXTREMELY FAST. VERY ROUGH RUNNING AND IDLE. TERRIBLE FEELING OF BEING UNSAFE AND AT RISK. FINDING P0016 AND P0017 CODES AND ALL SYMPTOMS OF BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE THAT THE MB M272 IS KNOWN FOR. MY WIFE AND I ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW KNOWING IT HAD A KNOWN DEFECTIVE ENGINE COMPONENT IN A SOFTWARE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR
NHTSA complaint #11397247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE MOVING IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL; THE ENGINE IS DISENGAGED AND REVS FREELY. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE BACK INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE IGNITION IS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF, WHICH LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL, SO THE DRIVER MUST EXIT THE TRAFFIC LANES WITH NO POWER BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSE A COLLISION AS THE DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OF THE CAR BUT MUST EXIT HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC LANES, OR COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11161833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT MOST ANY SPEED,TRANSMISSION PERIODICALLY GOES INTO NO GEAR OR A SINGLE GEAR (LOW OR A HIGHER GEAR) AND 'LIMP MODE' WITHOUT WARNING....SOMETIMES A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT...I AM 72 AND WIFE IS 71...SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO MERCEDES BENZ AS THE WOULD NOT SELL MY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE PARTS TO REPAIR PROBLEM. MERCEDES SAYS THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE 722.9 TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY REPLACED AT $3,000 PERIOD. I HAVE READ OF A MYRIAD OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER OWNERS OF CARS WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION....EVEN CLASS ACTION SUITS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MUST BE RESOLVED AND REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I EVEN CALLED MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE KNEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF TRANSMISSION. I ALSO READ THAT THEY ARE NOT CHANGING ANY PARTS....JUST REPROGRAMMING THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT GO INTO LIMP MODE AND NOT ACTIVATING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.....HOW CAN I INSURE THAT MY VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED CORRECTLY AND BE SAFE TO DRIVE?
NHTSA complaint #11046668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OCCASSIONALLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT STALLS IN GEAR,THAT IS THE GEAR SHIFT DOESN'T WORK AND THE VEHICLESTAYS IN ONE GEAR EVEN WHILE MOVING.USUALLY THE DRIVER HAS TO STOP BRIEFLY SHIFTS THE GEAR TO ANOTHER GEAR AND THEN STARTS AGAIN.IN A FEW SECONDS WWE CAN DRIVE AGAIN.UNTIL THE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN PERHAPS IN A FEW MONTHS OR SO.THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION MORE GENERALLY ON CITY STREET.THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN FROM THE VERY MOMENT I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WITHIN TWO HOURS OF DRIVING AND HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SINCE
NHTSA complaint #11015199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER IN THE HIGHWAY, AND DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE,CAUSING CAR TO HIGH RPM REV,GOING INTO LIMP MODE AND NOT ACCELERATE, ALMOST CAUSING MY FAMILY AND TO HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A SHOP WHICH STATED MY SPEED SENSOR CONDUCTOR PLATE IS DEFECTIVE...UPON DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS COMMON DANGEROUS ISSUE ON THE 06 MERCEDES ML MODELS..MERCEDES EVEN HAS A CLASS ACTION SUITE AGAINST THEM DUE TO THIS ISSUE..
NHTSA complaint #10956199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ 7G TRONIC 722.9 TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION TO, WITHOUT NOTICE, FAIL TO SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR WHICH CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING INCLUDING ENTERING THE FREEWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON A NUMBER OF WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET WHICH INCLUDES SUPPORT GROUPS INCLUDING ONE ADVOCATING AND SOLICITING A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE STATE OF CA. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT SO AS TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY INCLUDING THE LOSS OF LIFE. MB USA IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE ISSUE WHICH REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM). ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, MB RESTRICTS THE SALE OF THE TCM SO THAT THE REPAIR CAN ONLY BE MADE AT AN AUTHORIZED MB DEALERSHIP ADDING TO THE CONSUMER'S COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE ESTIMATE REPAIR COST IS $1,500 AT THE DEALERSHIP. COST ESTIMATES OUTSIDE OF THE DEALERSHIP, IF THE ITEM WAS ABLE TO BE PURCHASED, IS LESS THAN HALF THAT. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER WHILE ENTERING I-91 IN CT JUST LAST WEEK WHEN THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY WENT INTO WHAT MB CALLS "LIMP MODE" WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE SPEED IS RESTRICTED TO 30 MPH IMMEDIATELY. THIS NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WAS QUITE ALARMING. I CONTACTED MB USA AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AT ALL DUE TO DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING. AS AN INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER WE HAVE NO RIGHTS IN THIS MATTER TO ELIMINATE THIS MANUFACTURERS SAFETY DEFECT WHILE MB RESTRICTS AND MONOPOLIZES THE REPAIR OF A PROBLEM THAT THEY CREATED. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10948821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERPENTINE BELT SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD AT THE HIGHWAY SPEED, ONE OF THE IDLER PULLEYS LOCKED UP DUE TO THE FAILED BEARING, LEADING TO DAMAGING/BRAKING SERPENTINE BELT. THAT LED TO LOSS OF STEERING (LOSS OF POWER STEERING) AND OVERHEATING THE ENGINE. CREATED A VERY DANGER SITUATION AND LEFT MY FAMILY STRANDED MANY MILES AWAY FROM HOME. VERY COSTLY TOWING SERVICE AND REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10924806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2006 MERC ML350, BROKE DOWN ON ME 10/22/16, AS SOON AS I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A CRACKLING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN A LOCAL PARKING LOT TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT. THIS VEHICLE IS ALWAYS NEEDING SOMETHING, AND AT THIS TIME IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO PARK IT BECAUSE THE SERPENTINE (VBELT) HAD UNRAVELED ITS WAY FROM THE ALTERNATOR PULLEY!! THE LORD HAD SAVED MY LIFE! SAME YEAR IN MARCH FREMONT DEALERSHIP SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY AIR CONDENSOR BUT NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY BELT BEING WORN OR CRACKED OR ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTICED AT THAT PRESENT TIME. THEY MISINFORMED ME AT THAT TIME ABOUT THE VBELT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED AND TRIED TO SELL ME A AIR MASS SENSOR. MERCEDES KNOWS ABOUT VEHICLE 2006 YEAR AND ALL THE PARTS THAT ARE MALFUNCTIONING AND WONT LIFT A FINGER TO RECALL OR REIMBURSE OR PAY ENTIRELY. I WOULD HAVE DIED ON THE FREEWAY HAD THIS V BELT WOULD HAVE CAME OFF! TOOKBITVIN FOR REPAIRS AND THE DEALER IS REQUESTING $2350 TO REPLACE AIR CONDITION UNIT AND THEY WILL HAVE TO OPEN UP ALTERNATOR & ADJUST + VBELT. CAMPAIGN ANYONE OR BOTCOTT MBUSA!!
NHTSA complaint #10918854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAFETY ISSUES BEING OBSERVED ON ML 350 2007 OBSERVATIONS (MY WIFE & I HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED): AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION , EXPERIENCING LIMP MODE CREATING A SAFETY ISSUES WHICH CANNOT BE FORESEEN, CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT AND UNPREDICTABLE, IT WILL BE DRIVING FINE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL START LOSING POWER IN TRAFFIC & DRAG DOWN. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WILL START SHIFTING BY ITSELF FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER & THE SPEED OF THE CARS STARTS TO CRAWL, LIKE "LIMP MODE" THE IDLE SPEED STARTS TO REV UP, CAR IS NOT INCREASING THE SPEED AS ONE WOULD EXPECT ONCE NORMALLY WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. ONE HAS TO PULL OVER IF THEY CAN OR STUCK IN THE STREET ONE IS DRIVING WHICH I EXPERIENCED AND TRIED TO PULL OVER & HAD ISSUES. I BASICALLY HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AND HOPED THE CAR WOULD START BACK AGAIN, I HAD TO REPEAT THIS SEVERAL TIMES AS I EXPERIENCED THE DRAG DOWN AND GEARS GOING DOWN. VERY SCARY INCIDENTS WITH CHILDREN & WIFE IN THE CAR WHEN I WAS COMING BACK FROM AN OCCASION (I.E. DRIVING BACK HOME). TOLD BY DEALER ON 10/11/16: CODE 0717 & 0718 & NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY 4 YEARS/50K POTENTIALLY RELATED ISSUE: CODE 064 INCIDENT HAD OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES NOW IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS
NHTSA complaint #10915346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND GOT BOTH CODES P0016 AND P0017. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN DEFECT BY MERCEDES BENZ FOR THE BALANCER SHAFT WORN SPROCKET ISSUE. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, ALMOST THE COST OF THE VEHICLE! MBUSA PICKS AND CHOOSES WHO THEY WILL HELP? WOW, WISH I NEVER GOT THIS CAR!
NHTSA complaint #10899633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE ARE HAVING SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH OUR MERCEDES BENZ ML350, 2007. THE SAFETY HAZARD CONCERNS US DEEPLY. BASED UPON OUR RESEARCH, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. OTHERS ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. IT WILL BE DRIVING FINE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WILL LOSE ALL POWER IN THE TRAFFIC WHERE YOU ARE TOTALLY HELPLESS AND UNABLE TO PULL OVER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAN CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. EXAMPLE: WHEN YOU ARE CROSSING A HIGHWAY; YOU THINK THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE NORMAL. BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DRAGS. THEREFORE, YOU WILL HAVE TO CRAWL. EACH TIME WE HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE VEHICLE RESETS ITSELF WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. THEN THE VEHICLE PROCEEDS AS NORMAL. ANOTHER EXAMPLE: IT WON'T SHIFT FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD, AND YOU CAN ONLY CRAWL 10-40 MPH. IT REFUSES TO SHIFT ANY MORE. OTHER DRIVERS AROUND US ON THE ROAD BECOME EXTREMELY IMPATIENT AND START SCREAMING AND USING VIOLENT GESTURES. ANOTHER TIME, I WAS COMING OFF A HIGHWAY MERGING TO THE ACCESS ROAD. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. I PRESSED ON THE GAS, THE ENGINE REVVED UP BUT THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 35MPH AND A 18 WHEELER BEHIND US ALMOST HIT US BY SWERVING TO AVOID A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAD TO CRAWL ON THE ACCESS ROAD WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS WITH THE 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 POWER TRAIN (TRANSMISSION) TO HAVE THESE ISSUES. THE REPORTS I HAVE READ INDICATED THAT THE MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION IS NOT WILLING TO OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS. I PLEAD FOR YOUR HELP TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER SO THAT OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR CAN BE SPARED. WE ARE APPEALING FOR YOUR HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10762015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2006 ML350 (AUTOMATIC) HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHERE SHIFTING DOWN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. ALL GEAR SHIFTS (UP OR DOWN) ARE HARD AND CAN BE FELT BY THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR IN THE FORM OF A JERKY MOTION. SCOURING THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO OFFERED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $7500. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT KNOW UNTIL THEY TAKE THE TRANSMISSION APART AND WOULD END UP COSTING ROUGHLY THE SAME AS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. THE DOWN SHIFTING PRESENTS A DANGER WHEN MAKING SUDDEN STOPS DUE TO UNFORESEEN TRAFFIC CHANGES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS BRAKING HARD CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DOWN SHIFT QUICKLY WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD.
NHTSA complaint #10745959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE IS GETTING STUCK IN 7 GEAR ON THE FREEWAY AND NOT DOWN-SHIFTING TO ALLOW PASSING. EVEN WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL REMAIN IN 7TH GEAR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. MERCEDES IS AWARE OF VALVEBODY AND CONDUCTOR PLATE ISSUES WITH THESE CARS.
NHTSA complaint #10680137 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID SENSOR AND THE CAM SHAFT FUSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A MONTH AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR PLATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. ...UPDATED 02/11/15 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BALANCE SHIFT GEAR ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/19/15
NHTSA complaint #10673083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.